Why Democratic gov hopeful in Michigan likely voted for Rick Santorum

Mark Schauer, the Democratic candidate for governor in Michigan, voted in the 2012 Republican primary, likely for Rick Santorum in order to embarrass Mitt Romney in his home state.

But Schauer, a former congressman, has discouraged activists from meddling in this year’s competitive GOP primaries, including a closely watched House race outside Detroit. Michigan’s primary is Aug. 5.

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“If you’re a Democrat, my feeling is you should get behind people that are in your primary and support them,” the candidate said at a campaign event, video of which was posted on YouTube by the Michigan GOP.

Schauer acknowledges casting an absentee Republican ballot, but a spokesman refused to say who he voted for in 2012, calling the way a person votes “private.”

In 2012, with Romney marching toward the GOP nomination, some Democrats crossed over to support Santorum. They wanted to extend the Republican nominating process as a way to strengthen President Barack Obama, as Republicans had meddled in the 2008 primaries with “Operation Chaos.”

“To be clear, President Obama was running unopposed in the 2012 primary,” emailed Zack Pohl, a spokesman for Schauer, who is challenging Republican Gov. Rick Snyder.

In Michigan’s 11th district, Rep. Kerry Bentivolio is expected to lose next month to challenger Dave Trott. Bentivolio won on a fluke in 2012 after Thad McCotter was disqualified from being on the ballot because of insufficient signatures. The GOP establishment, including Romney, has rallied behind Trott.

Schauer noted that there are two great Democrats running in a state Senate primary within the district.

“It’s always hard to figure out the right angle … to mess around, especially when there are things at stake on our side of the ballot,” he said at the event earlier this year. “I don’t recommend that.”